The present invention relates generally to the field of communication and, in particular, controlling conference calls over a network.
Conference calls provide a real time communication between two or more persons. Conference calls offer an ‘in person’ meeting experience, connecting participants across multiple continents and time zones. Specifically, conference calls provide a highly effective and convenient conversation medium between persons. For example, businesses use conference calls regularly to meet with remote parties, both internally and outside of their company, allowing businesses to reduce travel expenses and save time, while still maintaining the close relationships with customers and employees.
To create a satisfactory conference call, the conference calling system emulates what participants would experience during a regular ‘in person’ meeting. For example, a conference call may utilize audio, video and multimedia technology, creating a better user experience. Further, a conference call may include the ability to allow separate conference calls to be merged into one larger conference call. Moreover, a conference call may include the ability to have a sub-conference, or a breakout session with a particular set of the participants, apart from the main conference call.